The invention relates generally to power-driven conveyors and more particularly to conveyors that use powered rollers to convey articles.
Conveyor belts are used to move articles, packages, food items, machine parts, and the like from one locale to another, such as within a factory, plant, manufacturing facility or the like. In some cases, it is necessary to transfer a package, article, or other item from one conveyor belt to a discharge point or from one conveyor belt to another conveyor belt.
Many conveyor applications use rollers to move items. The conveying surface of a conveyor may be formed of rollers, or a transfer roller may be disposed adjacent to an infeed, outfeed or side of a conveyor belt to facilitate transfers. In many applications, a conveyor may include free-spinning idle rollers, for example, in a gravity-driven roller conveyor. In other cases, a conveyor may include a powered roller that is actively driven. For example, a self-clearing roller transfer between two conveyor belts may be used to facilitate transfer from one conveyor belt to another.
However, rollers may present potential jam points that can lead to injury or damage to the conveyed product and-or conveyor equipment.